DA, foreign company to develop coffee plantation in Davao City

DAVAO CITY, Feb. 21 – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Davao Region and a foreign company are eyeing to develop a huge coffee plantation in five barangays in this city.

Melanie Provido, regional high value coordinator of DA Davao, said Rocky Mountain, consisting of foreign investors, will enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the DA here for the development of coffee, mainly Arabica plantation in the areas of Carmen, Salaysay, Tamayong, Sibulan and Marilog in the third district of the city.

She said Rocky Mountain is targeting the indigenous peoples (IPs) as the direct beneficiaries of the forthcoming project.

Provido said the DA and Rocky Mountain will work as partners in the business endeavor and the MOA is expected to be realized within the year.

The new development is part of the efforts of government to revive the industry where majority of coffee production are found in mountain areas, she said.

DA Davao has identified the following areas in Davao City suited for Arabica coffee. These are Sirib, Tamayong, Megkawayan, Salapawan, Inayangan, Marilog, Buda, Baganihan and Salaysay.

Provido said DA Davao is supporting three existing coffee nurseries in the city specifically in Manambulan Station, Marahan Station and Malagos.

Data showed that coffee production in the city slightly dipped to 3,625.31 metric tons in 2010 from 4,080.95 metric tons in 2009.

In the regional level, Davao Region contributes 25 percent of the total national coffee production with an average yield of 340 kg per hectare, DA Davao data showed. It has also identified Compostela Valley province to constitute 50 percent of the total regional production followed by Davao del Sur at 21 percent.

Provido said with the emerging coffee shops in Davao City and other parts of the region, efforts are stepped up to revive the coffee industry. The declining yields beginning 1997 was triggered by the conversion of coffee plantation to other export crops, she said.

The data further showed that 75 percent of the existing farms in Region 11 for rejuvenation.

As part of its interventions, DA Davao has targeted to develop about 700 hectares coffee farms from 2009 to 2011 through the provision of coffee planting materials, organic fertilizer, vegetable seeds and fruit tree seedlings as intercrops in potential coffee plantation areas.